Sand separator



Feb. 28,4 1950 c. R. CLAYTON Y SAND SEPARATOR Filed April 5, '1948 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

l 'III'.'I' ...A Il

Patented Feb. 28. 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE v.2,498,913 I. f y, vsANiJ A sEPARAToR Clarence R. Clayton, Snomac, Okla.

Application Apriis, 194s, serial No. 19,128

(ci. s- 220) 2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in sandseparators for oil wells. K

"An object of the invention is to provide an improved sand separator for separating sand from oil where anv oil well makes sand.

" Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of sand separatorA for oil wells which make sand by keeping sand from getting into the .pumping'barreL positively eliminating pumping cup and stufti'ng box rubbers and other foreign objects from getting into or entering into the tubing.

' A furthersobject of the invention is -to provide an improved sand separator for separating sand from oil where an oil well makes sand which will be highly efficient in operation and relatively inexpensive to manufacture and produce. A n

With the foregoing and other volcijectsmin view which will appear as the description proceeds., theinvention-consists of certain? novel details of construction-and combinationsvof parts, hereinafter more fullydescribed-and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved sand separator.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the improved sand separator.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on the line 4 4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5--5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 2.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specification and the accompanying drawing to designate corresponding parts.

In carrying out the invention, there is provided an improved form of sand separator for use for separating sand from oil being pumped from oil wells making sand.

A combination upset adapter coupling I having a reduced internally threaded upper end 2 will be threaded upon the section of pipe 3 connected with the seat of the sub-surface pump (not shown); The enlarged lower end 4 of the coupling I is externally threaded for threading into the internally threaded upper end of the elongated upper uid chamber 5 composed of a i barrel I 2.

section of predetermined length of pipe 6 and forming the sub-surface pumps intake reservoir for sand-free and filtered fluid.

The externally threaded lower end 1 of the pipe 6 is-adapted to thread into the internally threaded upper end 8 of the adapter coupling 9, which comprises a perforated seat member I0 disposed Within the adapter coupling 9 and a cooperating movable perforated plate I I having a guide stem 35, the coupling 9 operating to cause the pressurized fluid within the production string tubing (not shown), after the sub-surface pump (notshown) has been unseated or lifted from normal operating seating position, to be diverted through the perforations in the perforated mem` ber IlI of the coupling 9 `and through the perforated lower plate 36 into the filter screen section disposed therebelow and now to be described, thus accomplishing a flushing and washing action uponY the sand grains or other foreign matterawhichhaveaccumulated outside the filter element.` -f

The filter element is supported upon a length of smaller pipe I2 which forms an inner barrel filter guide and support which may or may not be perforated, and is threaded as at I3 on its upper end for threading into the coupling 9.

The filter element is formed of a plurality of concentrically disposed wire mesh sleeves I4, and an outer perforated heavy metal sleeve or jacket I5, the same being supported at its upper end by the perforated and grooved top plate I6 and at its bottom end by the solid plate I'I which is centrally bored to extend about the inner The lter element is supported upon the inner barrel I2 by means of the hexagonal jamb nut I8 and locking nut I9 threaded upon the externally threaded end at 2U adjacent its lower end.

An outer jacket 2I is slotted at 22 and is externally threaded at 23 on its upper end for threading into the lower internally threaded end of the adapter coupling 9. The lower end of said outer jacket 2| is externally threaded at 24 on its lower end for receiving and supporting the internally threaded bottom filter support 25 composed of a heavy coupling with welded cross segments 26 extending across its lower end, with an axially disposed threaded opening 21 formed therethrough for receiving the threaded bolt 28 which extends upwardly through the opening 21 and into a threaded opening 29 in the lower end of the inner barrel I2, thus securing the several parts in assembled position. It is obvious that the lter parts may be quickly disassembled for cleaning or replacement of worn parts.

In operation, the fluid passing through plate Il and lower plate 36 washes off sand grains from the lter element without the employing of special fishing tools and additional devices to aid in the accomplishing of bottom hole filter cleaning and washing.

The sub-surface pump (not shown) is unseated and permitsthe fluid column, normally the height of the production string of tubes, to flow downwardly towards the perforated plate l I to be conitrolled thereby as it passes therethrough to effect the cleaning and IWashing of the filter.

While the preferred embodiment of' the instant invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted towithout departure from the spiritof the invention.

What is claimed is:`

1'. A sand separator for oil wells, comprising a pipe section forming an intake reservoir for a subsurface pump, an adapter coupling secured on the lower end of the pipe section, said adapter coupling having a central bore and having a circular line of vertical bores surrounding the central bore, a circular perforated plate disposed at each endof the adapter coupling in spaced relation with the adapter coupling, a hollow guide stem formed integral with the circular perforated plate at one end of the adapter coupling and tted.- in the central bore of the adapter coupling through which fluid passes to the central bore, said circular plates having circular lines of openings aligning with the circular line ofv openings in the adapter coupling through which sandr ladened fluid is forced as the separator reciprocates, a pipe extending into theV lower end of thecentral bore of the adapter coupling over which the circular plate at the lower end of the adapter coupling is mounted, a plurality of spaced concentrically arranged perforated lter sleeves disposed around said pipe and secured thereto in spaced relation with each other, a perforated sleeve encasing the lter surface through which fluid flows on its passage to the adapter coupling, an outer open ended jacket surrounding the sleeves in spaced relation therewith, and said jacket having spaced longitudinally disposed slots formed in the wall thereof.

2. A sand separator for oil wells, comprising a pipe section forming an intake reservoir for a subsurface purnp, an adapter coupling secured to the pipev section, said adapter coupling having a large central bore and a circular line of bores surrounding theV central bore, the bores extending throughlthe adapter coupling, a disc-like plate secured at each end of the adapter coupling, said disc-like plates having openings registerngwith the `oore's of the' adapter coupling and through which fluid passes through the' separator, spaced filter sleeves disposed within one another, supported by the adapter coupling, and an outer jacket surrounding the spaced filter sleeves' in spaced relation with the lter sleeves, and said jacket having slots disposed longitudinally thereof, through which uid'pa'ssesito the separator. CLARENCE RL CLAYTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are, of record in the le of this patent;

Number Name Date 170,124 Spicer -2 Nov. 16,1875 1,672,687 Penrod et al --.June 5,.l928- 1,679,625 Penrod et al. Aug. 7, 1928 1,958,170 Penr0d May` 8, 1934 2,234,977 Ohland, 1-.r v Mar. 18, 1941 

